Machine for applying crown-stoppers.



W. E. LINDSAY.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING CROWN STOPPERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I. |912. 1 ,162,702. Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

WILLIAM EDWARD LINDSAY, GF NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE ron APPLYING oRowN-srorrnss.

Application nled April 1, 1912.

' for applying crownstoppers Ato bottles, the

' port for the bottle, t-he yielding purpose of the invention being to simplify the mechanism and to dispense entirely with the use of springs, the machine being so arranged that all the yielding parts are controlled by fluid pressure. -Crowning machines of the kind to which thisinvention appertains consist of a support for the bottle and a compressing plunger and crowning throat Vwhich perform the, operations of compressing the cork washer and closing in the sides of the crown so that the latter en gage with the groove around the bottle neck; the support and the throat having relative movements whereby the crowning operation is performed.

Iii-carrying out the operation, the compressing plunger acts before the throat moves to its operative position, the function of the plunger being to press the crown against the top of the bott-le so as tov force the cork washer in the crown firmly into contact with the top of the'bottle before the sides of the crown are closed in. This necessitates the yielding of one part or the other after sufficient pressure has been eX- erted, so as to admit of the further relative movement which carries the throat to its iinal voperative position. Furthermore, it is necessary that Vprovision should be made for the yielding of one entire part relative to the other so as to compensate for the diderence in thelengths of the bottles.

In carrying out this invention, I have provided the machine with a stationary supparts `being contained entirely inta movable head, the said parts being provided with pressure receiving abutments differing in area, which Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N ov. 30, 1915. serial No. 687,658. i

are subjected to fluid parts will yield after has been exerted. Y

a Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of a power driven machine embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged secpressure, so that the the force necessary tion, through the crowning head of the ma-` chine.

Referring to F ig. 1, the machine is provided with an adjustable standard 1 which is herein shown as mounted on a screw threaded stem 2 which enters a socket 3 in the frame of the machine, so that the height of the standard 1 can be adjusted by turnmg said standard, there being a locking screw t to hold it'after the proper adjustment has been made.

Above the standard l is a reciprocating crowning head 5 which is shown as connected with a vertical rod 6 which is arranged to be moved up and down through the action of a pitman 7 and crank 8 of a main driving shaft 9. The bottle, as shown in Fig. l, is arranged to be supported on the standard 1 Vand positioned by means of a guide or gage l0.l The crowning head 5Ais provided with the yielding plunger 12 and the crowning throat 18. The plunger l2 is adapted to eXr ert sufficient pressure on lthe crown to com press the washer and make a tight lit between said washer and the mouth of the bottle, this plunger being adapted to yield after suiiicient pressure has been exerted for this purpose, so as to admit of a further independent movement of the throat 13. In this further movement, the inclined inne] surface 14 of the throat presses against the corrugated side of the stopper, forcing the corrugations into the groove around the neck of the bottle and locking the crown in place. For the purpose of obtaining the necessary pressures acting on the different parts, l have provided the operating parts with abutments which are subjected to fluid pressure, the crowning head being herein shown as consisting of a closed chamber 15 adapted to receive fluid pressure, such as that of compressed air, through a pipe 16, the movable abutments, aforesaid together constituting the lower Wall of thechamber. The initial pressure in the chamber is maintained substantially constant in order to secure uniformity in the crowning operations, and such constant pressure may be provided for by supplying the chamber from a reservoir or reservoir tank having a capacity relatively large, as compared with the capacity of' the chamber 15, and in .which reservoir the pressure is maintained practically constant by means of any of the usual governing devices, such as relief valves or pressure regulators. The'movenient of the abutnients with relation to the crowning head are relatively slight, and the change in actual pressure in the chamber 15 which is due to said movements may be disregarded so faias relates to any eect it may have upon the uniformity of operation.

VThe upper part ofthe member carrying the crowning throat forms one of the Inovable abutments, this upper part being herein shown as a piston 17 iitting the chamber 15, and being properly packed therein. The crowning throat, moreover, is provided with a .bore through the middle in which lits a piston 18 which is connected with the plunger 12. The piston 17 which constitutes the abutment for the crowning throat and the piston 18 which constitutes the abutment for the plunger' 12, are both subjected to fluid pressure, the piston 18, however, being somewhat smaller in area than the throat piston 17, so that it will yield after a certain predetermined fluid pressure has been balanced by the resistance, thus allowing an independent movement of the crowning throat to finish the operation, the pressure behind the throat piston 17 still preponderating over the resistance. After the crowning throat has done its work, it is obvious that the entire operating portion of the head can yield, so that iio damage will be done` ifa bottle is somewhat longer than the standard.

In cases where the crowns are fed to the machine by hand, the crowning throat is provided with yielding dogs 19 which are in the form of latches to engage the under side of the crownand hold it in place. In connection with these dogs, the plunger 12 is provided `with ran independently yielding crown-positioning portion 20, the pressure of which is merely sufficient to hold the crown against the dogs in the position shown in Fig. 2. By constructing this yielding portion 2O as shown, it can be controlled by the saine fluid pressure which controls the other parts, the said part 20 being herein shown as provided with a cup-leatlier packing 21 itting in a cylindrical bore through the piston 18,.

The operation ofthe machine is as follows: The crown and bottle being in position as lshown in Fig. 2, the entire crowning head 5 moves ltoward the bottle, thefluid pressure behind the piston 18 being suflicient to prericerca vent any independent movement of the plunger 12, before the cap washer has been forced lirinly iiito contact with the mouth of the bottle. The resistance to the movement of the plunger is then suflicient to overcome-the fluid pressure against the piston 1S, but is not sufhcieni, to overcome the fluid pressure against the throat piston 17. The throat, therefore, continues to move until the crown sides are closed in. Further movement of the plunger and throat is then impossible, since the bottle and stopper constitute a rigid abutment; but vthe fluid pressure exerted against the throat, while sufficient to close in the crown, is insufficient to crush the bottle, so that the `operative parts will yield, if the movement of' the reciprocating head continues after lthe crown is secured. V

Whatl claim is: Y 1. The combination with a bottle support; of a head; a fluid pressure chamber in said head; a compressing plunger; a throat; abutments connected respectively with said plunger and throat, said abutments `being subjected to the pressure in said fluid presf sure chamber; and means for producing a relative movement of said bottle support and said head. i

' 2. The `combination with a bottle-support, of a reciprocating head; a fluid pressure chamber in said head; a compressing plunger; a crowning throat; and abutments connected, respectively, with said plungerand throat, said abutnients being subjected to the pressure in the chamber. f

3. The combination with a .bottle-support, of a reciprocating head; a fluid pressure chamber in said head; a compressing plunger; a crowning throat; a crown positioning device located in the crowningV throat; and abutments connected, respectively, withsaid plunger, said throat and said positioning device, said abutments all being subjected to Y of a reciprocating crowninghead; a fluid.

pressure chamber in said head; a crowning throat having an annular piston movable in said chamber; a compressing plungerhaving a piston located in a bore through the bottle-support, Y

annular throat piston, said compressing.

plunger having a longitudinal bore; and a crpwn-positioning device having a pristo fitting in said longitudinal bore.I Y

6. The conibi'ation `with an adjustable rgdsupport for a bQttle; 0f a Awning i head lngitudimlly movable toward @mi from said support a fluid pressure Chamber name to this specification in the presence of 1n snld head; a, compresslng plunger; a two subscriblng Wltnesses. crowning throat; and concentric pistons,

differing Vin area, connected, respectively, WILLIAM EDWARD LINDSAY 5 with seid plunger and throat, and subjected Witnesses:

to the pressure in the chamber. JAS. J. MALONEY, In testimony whereof, I have signed my W. E. COVENTRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

